2. The Right Channel: You reach your prospects on the channel they choose -- social, mobile, web, or email -- not exclusively via email.

3. Information/Data Analysis: You collect information about your prospects interests across multiple channels and use it to provide better, more relevant content.

4. Listening Skills: You listen to your prospects (you're active and available on social channels), you don't just talk to them.

At the end of the day, the success of your marketing automation campaign depends on the impression it makes on prospects. If, after the campaign, prospects feels like they have new, personalized relationships with your company, you win. If prospects feel like they're stuck talking to a poorly engineered robot, you lose.

Good topic and it helps to have higher aims for your automation. I would contend, though, that improved efficiency is, by itself, a worthy enough goal to be considered success as it will contribute to the others. Improved efficiency buys the time to dedicate to the other goals.

John, I think this one thought sums up the take away from this article: Marketing automation that ignores people is toxic.

I see so many companies that invest heavily in great content and powerful landing pages only to muff it up in between when their marketing automation makes the entire experience sterile. Nothing alienates a prospect faster.

It would have been interesting to see some 'taking it further' discussion about how the performable technology can enhance already good marketing automation.